Gesture-based remote control

ABSTRACT

A method and system for operating a remote-controlled device using a gesture-enabled remote control (RC) includes activating a communication link between the RC and the remote-controlled device. The remote-controlled device may implement a remote control context accommodating gesture commands generated by the RC. The RC may enable a user to generate gesture commands by performing gesture motions with the RC. Command data corresponding to gesture commands, along with selection commands from selection control inputs on the RC, may be sent to the remote-controlled device.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to remote control and, more particularly,to gesture-based remote control to operate a device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Remote controls provide convenient operation of equipment from adistance. Many consumer electronic devices are equipped with a varietyof remote control features. Implementing numerous features on a remotecontrol may result in a complex and inconvenient user interface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of aremote control system;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a method for operating a remotecontrol;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a method for operating a remotecontrol;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of aremote-controlled device; and

FIG. 5 is a table of selected embodiments of gesture commands.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

In one aspect, a disclosed remote control method includes activating agesture sensor of a remote control (RC), sensing a gesture motion of theRC, converting the gesture motion into a gesture command executable by aremote-controlled device, and transmitting the gesture command to theremote-controlled device. The sensed gesture motion may includetranslation and/or rotation of the RC. In the method, the sensing mayfurther include determining a spatial acceleration of the RC. Theoperation of activating of the gesture sensor may be responsive toassertion of a control element of the RC. In certain instances,operation of activating of the gesture sensor may be responsive to asignal received from a source external to the RC.

In certain embodiments, the method may further include sending a messageto the remote-controlled device, and receiving an acknowledgement fromthe remote-controlled device. The method may also include receiving aselection input generated by a selection control element of the RC, andsending selection command data corresponding to the selection input tothe remote-controlled device. The operation of receiving the selectioninput may be responsive to a menu display on the remote-controlleddevice.

In another aspect, a gesture-enabled RC includes a processor, a wirelesstransceiver, a motion detector, and memory media accessible to theprocessor. The memory media may include instructions executable by theprocessor to establish a communication channel between the RC and aremote-controlled device using the wireless transceiver. When a motiondetector enable signal is asserted, the processor instructions may beexecutable to record a gesture motion of the RC using the motiondetector. The processor instructions may further be executable toconvert the recorded gesture motion into a gesture command executable bya remote-controlled device, and send command data corresponding to thegesture command to the remote-controlled device. The processorinstructions to record may further include processor instructionsexecutable to determine a spatial acceleration of the RC.

In particular embodiments, the RC may further include a selectioncontrol element, while the processor instructions are further executableto receive a selection input generated by the selection control element,and send selection command data corresponding to the selection input tothe remote-controlled device. In some embodiments, the RC may include atrigger control element, while the processor instructions are furtherexecutable to assert the motion detector enable signal when the triggercontrol element is activated. The RC may further include processorinstructions executable to receive the asserted motion detector enablesignal from a source external to the RC.

In various embodiments, the RC may include an audio output element,while the processor instructions are further executable to output afirst audio signal using the audio output element when a gesture motionis recorded. The RC may include processor instructions executable tooutput a second audio signal when the motion detector enable signal isasserted, and/or output a third audio signal when the remote-controlleddevice acknowledges execution of a command associated with command datareceived by the RC. The processor instructions to record the gesturemotion may be executed in response to a remote control context on theremote-controlled device, while the gesture command sent to theremote-controlled device may depend on the remote control context alongwith the recorded gesture motion.

In a further aspect, a disclosed computer-readable memory media includesexecutable instructions for operating a remote-controlled device. Theinstructions may be executable to display a command menu responsive togesture commands received from an RC, receive gesture command data fromthe RC corresponding to a gesture command recorded by the RC, andexecute the gesture command.

In certain embodiments, the memory media may include instructionsexecutable to receive selection command data from the RC correspondingto a selection command received at the RC, and execute the selectioncommand. The memory media may further include instructions executable tooutput a multimedia signal in response to receiving selection commanddata and/or gesture command data. The memory media may still furtherinclude instructions executable to assert a gesture enable signal via acommunication channel between the remote-controlled device and the RC,while the asserted gesture enable signal may indicate when gesturecommands are allowed.

In the following description, details are set forth by way of example tofacilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should beapparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that thedisclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possibleembodiments.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of selected elements of anembodiment of remote-controlled system 100 are depicted. System 100illustrates devices, interfaces and information that may be processed toenable RC 108 to control remote-controlled device 112. In system 100,remote-controlled device 112 represents any of a number of differenttypes of devices that are remote-controlled, such as media players,televisions, or client-premises equipment (CPE) for multimedia contentdistribution networks (MCDNs), among others. As used herein, a “gesture”or “gesture motion” or “gesture command” refers to a particular motion,or sequences of motions, imparted to an RC by a user for the purpose ofproviding user input to the RC. The gesture motion may be a translationor a rotation or a combination thereof, in 2- or 3-dimensional space.Specific gesture motions may be defined and assigned to predeterminedremote control commands. As will be described in detail herein, RC 108may be configured to detect gesture motions and interpret the detectedgesture motions as remote control commands executable byremote-controlled device 112. RC 108 may then send command data,including remote control commands, to remote-controlled device 112. Uponreceiving command data from RC 108, remote-controlled device 112 mayexecute a remote control function corresponding to the remote controlcommand. In this manner, a user of remote-controlled system 100 may beprovided a simplified, yet flexible interface for operatingremote-controlled device 112 using RC 108.

In FIG. 1, RC 108 is depicted communicating with remote-controlleddevice 112 via communication link 102. Communication link 102 may be awireless or a mechanically connected interface, or some combinationthereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, RC 108, which may be a hand-held and manuallyoperated device, includes numerous elements, and may include additionalelements (not shown in FIG. 1) in various embodiments. RC 108 is shownincluding processor system 106, RC interface 120, memory 125, motionsensor(s) 104, audio output 114, trigger input 116, and selectioncontrol element(s) 110. Memory 125 is depicted in FIG. 1 includinggesture program 118. Accordingly, RC 108 may comprise elementsconfigured to function as an embodiment of an electronic device capableof executing program instructions. RC 108 may further include at leastone shared bus (not shown in FIG. 1) for interconnectivity amonginternal elements, such as those depicted in FIG. 1.

Processor system 106 may represent at least one processing unit and mayfurther include internal memory, such as a cache for storing processorexecutable instructions. In certain embodiments, processor system 106serves as a main controller for RC 108. In various embodiments,processor system 106 is operable to perform remote control operations,including gesture detection and processing operation, as describedherein.

In FIG. 1, remote control interface(s) 120 may represent acommunications transceiver providing an interface for any of a number ofcommunication links. In certain embodiments, remote control interface(s)120 supports wireless communication links, such as infrared (IR),radio-frequency (RF), and audio, among others. Remote controlinterface(s) 120 may further support mechanically connectedcommunication links to RCs, such as galvanically wired connections, andmay accordingly include a physical adapter or receptacle for receivingsuch connections. In one embodiment, remote control interface(s) 120transforms an instruction for operating remote-controlled device 112into a signal sent via communication link 102. It is noted that remotecontrol interface(s) 120 may be a bidirectional interface, such thatresponses, such as commands, information, or acknowledgements, may bereceived from remote-controlled device 112 via communication link 102.In one embodiment, a message may be sent to remote-controlled device 112and an acknowledgement of the message may be received fromremote-controlled device 112. The message may include command data, aswill be described below.

Also in FIG. 1, memory 125 encompasses persistent and volatile media,fixed and removable media, magnetic and semiconductor media, or acombination thereof Memory 125 is operable to store instructions, data,or both. Memory 125 as shown includes data, which may be in the form ofsets or sequences of instructions, namely, gesture program 118. Gestureprogram 118 may include processor executable instructions to interpretgesture commands as remote control commands executable byremote-controlled device 112, as described herein.

RC 108, as depicted in FIG. 1, includes motion sensor(s) 104, which maybe mechanically integrated into RC 108. Motion sensor(s) 104 mayrepresent devices configured to detect linear translations, rotationaltranslations, linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, or acombination thereof. For example, motion sensor(s) 104 may be configuredto determine a spatial acceleration involving multiple axes of motionsimultaneously. Motion sensor(s) 104 may include microelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS) or MEMS components, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes,or other types of motion sensors. It is noted that motion sensor(s) 104may represent sensors configured to detect translation or rotation of RC108 in multiple dimensions simultaneously.

In FIG. 1, RC 108 is shown including trigger input 116. In oneembodiment, trigger input 116 may represent an electro-mechanicalcontrol element for activating a trigger or enable function for RC 108.In other embodiments, trigger input 116 may represent a signal input forreceiving a trigger or enable signal from an external source. In oneembodiment, the external source is a component of remote-controlleddevice 112, such that remote-controlled device 112 may provide both aremote control context and an enable signal for receiving gesturecommands. In certain embodiments, the trigger or enable function assertsa motion sensor enable signal, which allows for gesture commands to beinput by activating motion sensor(s) 104.

Also in FIG. 1, RC 108 is shown including audio output 114. Audio output114 may represent an audio device, such as a loudspeaker, that isintegrated in RC 108. In some embodiments, audio output 114 representsan output port for an external audio device, such as an audio plug forconnecting headphones.

Further depicted in FIG. 1 are selection control element(s) 110,representing a variety of input control elements integrated into RC 108.Selection control element(s) 110 may be buttons, sliders, switches orother types of electromechanical input devices. For example, selectioncontrol element(s) 110 may include power control elements for poweringRC 108 on or off. Selection control element(s) 110 may additionallyinclude control elements that generate remote control commandsexecutable by remote-controlled device 112, such as, but not limited to,info, play, pause, guide, purchase, browse, etc. In certain embodiments,selection control element(s) 110 may include control elements associatedwith a remote control context (not shown in FIG. 1) executing onremote-controlled device 112. The remote control context may be in theform of a displayed menu structure that is responsive to selectioncontrol element(s) 110. In particular, selection control element(s) 110may include functionality to select an activated item in the remotecontrol context. It is noted that remote control commands generated byselection control element(s) 110 may be used in conjunction with gesturecommands and may accordingly be processed by gesture program 118.

In certain embodiments, RC 108 may further include a display element(not shown in FIG. 1), which may represent a display device implementedas a liquid crystal display screen, a computer monitor, a television, atouch screen device, or the like. The display element may comply with adisplay standard for the corresponding type of display. Standards forcomputer monitors include analog standards such as video graphics array(VGA), extended graphics array (XGA), etc., or digital standards such asdigital visual interface (DVI) or high-definition multimedia interface(HDMI), among others. A television display may comply with standardssuch as National Television System Committee (NTSC), Phase AlternatingLine (PAL), or another suitable standard.

In operation, RC 108, after power on and/or activation of remote controlinterface(s) 120, may be enabled for gesture commands, for example, bytrigger input 116 asserting a gesture enable signal. In one embodiment,a remote control context is displayed on remote-controlled device 112,which, in response, may generate gesture commands from gesture motionsdetected by RC 108. In other embodiments, a gesture command may begenerated without a remote control context being explicitly displayed byremote-controlled device 112. Command data corresponding to the gesturecommand, along with any selection control input, may be sent toremote-controlled device 112 for execution. Remote-controlled device 112may optionally send an acknowledgement of an executed and/or receivedremote control command to RC 108.

It is further noted that audio output 114 may output audio signalscorresponding to various events or actions in a remote controloperation. For example, audio output 114 may output an audio signal whenthe motion detector enable signal is asserted, thus providing audiofeedback to the user that gesture commands may be performed at suchtime. Audio output 114 may further output another audio signal when agesture motion is recorded by RC 108, thus providing audio feedback tothe user that a gesture command was generated. Audio output 114 maystill further output yet another audio signal when remote-controlleddevice 112 acknowledges execution of a command associated with commanddata received by remote-controlled device 112, thus providing audiofeedback to the user that a gesture command was actually executed.

Turning now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of method 200 for remote control isillustrated. In one embodiment, method 200 is performed by gestureprogram 118 executing on RC 108. It is noted that certain operationsdescribed in method 200 may be optional or may be rearranged indifferent embodiments.

Method 200 may begin by activating a remote control interface between anRC and a remote-controlled device (operation 202). The activation mayinvolve power up of an RC. In some embodiments, the activation includesbidirectional communication between the RC and the remote-controlleddevice.

Method 200 may proceed by making a decision whether a gesture enable isasserted (operation 204). The gesture enable may be an input signal tothe RC. If the result of the decision in operation 204 is NO, then agesture sensor may be disabled (operation 206). The gesture sensor maybe a motion sensor, such as motion sensor(s) 104, described above withrespect to FIG. 1. If the result of the decision in operation 204 isYES, then a remote control context on the remote-controlled device maybe detected (operation 208). The remote control context may beassociated with a display of menu options or navigation elements on auser interface of the remote-controlled device. In one example, theremote control context is associated with an electronic program guide(EPG) displayed by the remote-controlled device (see FIG. 4).

Next, the gesture sensor may be enabled (operation 210). A gesturemotion of the RC may be recorded using the gesture sensor (operation212). In certain instances, a user of the RC may be prompted to providethe gesture motion, for example, from within the remote control context.The user may create the gesture motion with translative or rotationalbody movements, which impart motion to the RC, for example, by holdingthe RC in the user's hand. The gesture motion may be converted into agesture command, based in part on the remote control context (operation214). The gesture motion may be interpreted as a spatial pattern, andreferenced to a list, or look-up-table, of known spatial patterns, whichmay, in turn, be correlated to specific gesture commands. For example, asharp downwards movement may be interpreted as a ‘pause’ command. Otherremote control commands may similarly be referenced to particulargesture motions or patterns. The gesture motion may further becorrelated with the spatial arrangement of display elements in theremote control context. In this manner, the remote control context mayfacilitate an intuitive remote control environment, with ease of use andease of learning to use.

In method 200, gesture command data corresponding to the gesture commandmay then be sent to the remote-controlled device (operation 216). Thegesture command data may be encoded, encrypted, or otherwise transformedinto a code interpretable and/or executable by the remote-controlleddevice. A selection input from a selection control element of the RC maybe received (operation 218). The selection input may be a response to acommand selection in the remote control context, in conjunction withpreviously entered gesture commands. Selection command datacorresponding to the selection input may be sent to theremote-controlled device (operation 220). The selection command data maybe substantially similar to the gesture command data sent to theremote-control device in operation 216.

Turning now to FIG. 3, an embodiment of method 300 for remotely controlis illustrated. In one embodiment, method 300 is performed by remotecontrol 414 (see FIG. 4) executing on remote-controlled device 112. Itis noted that certain operations described in method 300 may be optionalor may be rearranged in different embodiments.

Method 300 may begin by displaying a gesture menu configured to respondto gesture commands from an RC (operation 304). The gesture menu may beincluded in an implementation of a remote control context. Gesturecommand data, corresponding to a gesture command generated by the RC,may be received from the RC (operation 306). The remote-controlleddevice may output a multimedia signal in response to receiving gesturecommand data. The gesture command may then be executed (operation 308).The gesture command may be associated with a remote control functionexecutable by a remote-controlled device within the remote controlcontext. Selection command data, corresponding to a selection inputreceived by the RC, may be received from the RC (operation 310). Theremote-controlled device may output a multimedia signal in response toreceiving selection command data. The selection command may then beexecuted (operation 312). The selection command may also be associatedwith a remote control function executable by the remote-controlleddevice within the remote control context.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram illustrating selected elementsof an embodiment of remote-controlled device 112 is presented. As notedpreviously, remote-controlled device 112 may represent any of a numberof different types of devices that are remote-controlled, such as mediaplayers, televisions, or CPE for MCDNs, among others. In FIG. 4,remote-controlled device 112 is shown as a functional component alongwith display 426, independent of any physical implementation, and may beany combination of elements of remote-controlled device 112 and display426.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, remote-controlled device 112includes processor 401 coupled via shared bus 402 to storage mediacollectively identified as storage 410. Remote-controlled device 112, asdepicted in FIG. 4, further includes network adapter 420 that mayinterface remote-controlled device 112 to a local area network (LAN)through which remote-controlled device 112 may receive and sendmultimedia content (not shown in FIG. 4). Network adapter 420 mayfurther enable connectivity to a wide area network (WAN) for receivingand sending multimedia content via an access network (not shown in FIG.4).

In embodiments suitable for use in IP based content delivery networks,remote-controlled device 112, as depicted in FIG. 4, may includetransport unit 430 that assembles the payloads from a sequence or set ofnetwork packets into a stream of multimedia content. In coaxial basedaccess networks, content may be delivered as a stream that is not packetbased and it may not be necessary in these embodiments to includetransport unit 430. In a co-axial implementation, however, tuningresources (not explicitly depicted in FIG. 4) may be required to“filter” desired content from other content that is delivered over thecoaxial medium simultaneously and these tuners may be provided inremote-controlled device 112. The stream of multimedia content receivedby transport unit 430 may include audio information and videoinformation and transport unit 430 may parse or segregate the two togenerate video stream 432 and audio stream 434 as shown.

Video and audio streams 432 and 434, as output from transport unit 430,may include audio or video information that is compressed, encrypted, orboth. A decoder unit 440 is shown as receiving video and audio streams432 and 434 and generating native format video and audio streams 442 and444. Decoder 440 may employ any of various widely distributed videodecoding algorithms including any of the Motion Pictures Expert Group(MPEG) standards, or Windows Media Video (WMV) standards including WMV9, which has been standardized as Video Codec-1 (VC-1) by the Society ofMotion Picture and Television Engineers. Similarly decoder 440 mayemploy any of various audio decoding algorithms including Dolby®Digital, Digital Theatre System (DTS) Coherent Acoustics, and WindowsMedia Audio (WMA).

The native format video and audio streams 442 and 444 as shown in FIG. 4may be processed by encoders/digital-to-analog converters(encoders/DACs) 450 and 470 respectively to produce analog video andaudio signals 452 and 454 in a format compliant with display 426, whichitself may not be a part of remote-controlled device 112. Display 426may comply with NTSC, PAL or any other suitable television standard.

Storage 410 encompasses persistent and volatile media, fixed andremovable media, and magnetic and semiconductor media. Storage 410 isoperable to store instructions, data, or both. Storage 410 as shown mayinclude sets or sequences of instructions, namely, an operating system412, a remote control application program identified as remote controlmodule 414, and EPG 416. Operating system 412 may be a UNIX or UNIX-likeoperating system, a Windows® family operating system, or anothersuitable operating system. In some embodiments, storage 410 isconfigured to store and execute instructions provided as services by anapplication server via the WAN (not shown in FIG. 4).

EPG 416 represents a guide to multimedia content available for viewingusing remote-controlled device 112, and may be shown to the user as anelement of the user interface. The user interface may include aplurality of menu items arranged according to one or more menu layouts,which enable a user to operate remote-controlled device 112. The usermay operate the user interface, including EPG 416, using RC 108 (seeFIG. 1) in conjunction with remote control module 414. In someembodiments, EPG 416 may include an implementation of a remote controlcontext, as described above.

Local transceiver 408 represents an interface of remote-controlleddevice 112 for communicating with external devices, such as RC 108 (seeFIG. 1), or another remote control device. Local transceiver 408 mayprovide a mechanical interface for coupling to an external device, suchas a plug, socket, or other proximal adapter. In some cases, localtransceiver 408 is a wireless transceiver, configured to send andreceive IR or RF or other signals. Local transceiver 408 may be accessedby remote control module 414 for providing remote control functionality.

Turning now to FIG. 5, table 500 shows selected embodiments of gesturecommands, such as those generated by RC 108. Table 500 depicts exemplaryembodiments of gesture motions and their respective gesture commands,which may be modified in other implementations. In table 500, gesturemotion column 522 indicates a gesture motion associated with a gesturecommand; gesture motion name column 524 is a name of the gesture motionin gesture motion column 522; gesture command column 526 is a gesturecommand interpreted from the gesture motion in gesture motion column522; and remote control context 528 is an example of a usage environmentin which the respective gesture command may be used. Rows 502-520 intable 500 represent exemplary instances of gesture motions and theirassociated gesture commands.

Row 502 shows a sweep up or down gesture command usable to adjust volumelevel up or down, increment/decrement channels, or otherwise scroll upor down, which may be applicable for dynamic volume control, dynamicchannel control, or list navigation in an EPG, DVR, or another menulist. Row 504 shows a gesture command involving two short downmovements, usable to mute volume or scroll down a number of rows, whichmay be applicable for dynamic volume control or list navigation in anEPG, DVR, or another menu list. Row 506 shows gesture command involvingtwo short up movements, usable to restore volume or scroll up a numberof rows, which may be applicable for dynamic volume control or listnavigation in an EPG, DVR, or another menu list. Row 508 shows a sweepleft or right gesture command, usable to scroll a DVR timeline or scrollan EPG, which may be applicable for a DVR playback timeline menu or listnavigation in an EPG, DVR, or another menu list. Row 510 shows a gesturecommand involving two short right movements, usable to fast forward orscroll with a time forward (e.g., plus 12 hours), which may beapplicable for a DVR playback timeline menu or list navigation in anEPG, DVR, or another menu list. Row 512 shows a gesture commandinvolving two short left movements, usable to reverse or scroll with atime backward (e.g., minus 12 hours), which may be applicable for a DVRplayback timeline menu or list navigation in an EPG, DVR, or anothermenu list. Row 514 shows a diagonal movement gesture command, usable tobring a menu up or down, or bring an EPG up or down, which may beapplicable during IPTV viewing or another screen environment. Row 516shows an in or out gesture command, usable to flip pages, which may beapplicable for an EPG, a menu environment, VoD, activities, web pages,or other environments. Row 518 shows a rotate clockwise gesture command,usable for advancing to a next selection, which may be applicable forlist navigation in an EPG, DVR, or another menu list. Row 520 shows arotate counterclockwise gesture command, usable for returning to aprevious selection, which may be applicable for list navigation in anEPG, DVR, or another menu list.

To the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the presentdisclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissibleinterpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shallnot be restricted or limited to the specific embodiments described inthe foregoing detailed description.

1. A remote control method, comprising: activating a gesture sensor of aremote control (RC); sensing a gesture motion of the RC; converting thegesture motion into a gesture command executable by a remote-controlleddevice; and transmitting the gesture command to the remote-controlleddevice.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed gesture motionincludes translation of the RC.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein thesensed gesture motion includes rotation of the RC.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said sensing further comprises: determining a spatialacceleration of the RC.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:sending a message to the remote-controlled device; and receiving anacknowledgement from the remote-controlled device.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection input generated by aselection control element of the RC; and sending selection command datacorresponding to the selection input to the remote-controlled device. 7.The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving the selection input isresponsive to a menu display on the remote-controlled device.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said activating of said gesture sensor isresponsive to assertion of a control element of the RC.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said activating of said gesture sensor is responsive toa signal received from a source external to the RC.
 10. Agesture-enabled remote control (RC), comprising: a processor; a wirelesstransceiver; a motion detector; and memory media accessible to theprocessor, including instructions executable by the processor to:establish a communication channel between the RC and a remote-controlleddevice using the wireless transceiver; when a motion detector enablesignal is asserted, record a gesture motion of the RC using the motiondetector; convert the recorded gesture motion into a gesture commandexecutable by a remote-controlled device; and send command datacorresponding to the gesture command to the remote-controlled device.11. The RC of claim 10, wherein the gesture motion results from at leastone of: translation of the RC and rotation of the RC.
 12. The RC ofclaim 10, wherein said processor executable instructions to recordfurther comprise processor executable instructions to: determine aspatial acceleration of the RC; and receive the asserted motion detectorenable signal from a source external to the RC
 13. The RC of claim 10,further comprising a selection control element; a trigger controlelement; and processor instructions executable to: receive a selectioninput generated by the selection control element; send selection commanddata corresponding to the selection input to the remote-controlleddevice; and assert the motion detector enable signal when the triggercontrol element is activated.
 14. The RC of claim 10, furthercomprising: an audio output element; and processor instructionsexecutable to: output at least one audio signal using the audio outputelement, wherein the output of the at least one audio signal occurs whenan output audio signal event occurs, and further wherein the outputaudio signal event is select from one of the following events: a gesturemotion is recorded, the motion detector signal is asserted; and when theremote-controlled device acknowledges execution of a command associatedwith command data received by the RC.
 15. The RC of claim 10, whereinsaid processor instructions to record the gesture motion are executed inresponse to a remote control context on the remote-controlled device,and wherein the gesture command sent to the remote-controlled devicedepends on the remote control context along with the recorded gesturemotion.
 16. The RC of claim 15 wherein the control context is selectedfrom one of the following: volume control, and further wherein thecorresponding gesture motion includes one of the following: a single upor down movement of the RC, a plurality of downward movements of the RC,and a plurality of upward movements of the RC, and further wherein thecorresponding gesture commands includes instructions to increase thevolume, decrease the volume, mute the volume, or return the volume to aprevious state; channel control, and further wherein the correspondinggesture motion includes at least one up or down movement of the RC, andfurther wherein the corresponding gesture commands includes instructionsto change the channel; list navigation, and further wherein thecorresponding gesture motion includes one of the following: a single upor down movement of the RC, a plurality of downward movements of the RC,a plurality of upward movements of the RC, a single sweep left or rightof the RC, a plurality of rightward movements of the RC, a plurality ofleftward movements of the RC, an inward or outward movement of the RC, aclockwise rotation of the RC, and a counter-clockwise rotation of theRC, and further wherein the corresponding gesture commands includesinstructions to scroll upward through a list of available options, toscroll downward through the list of available options, to scroll aselected number of rows within the available options, to change a pageof the available options, to move to a next selection within theavailable options, or to move to a previous selection within theavailable option; content playback, and further wherein thecorresponding gesture motion includes one of the following: a singlesweep left or right of the RC, a plurality of rightward movements of theRC, and a plurality of leftward movements of the RC, and further whereinthe corresponding gesture commands includes instructions to scrollthrough a digital video recorder timeline, to playback the content, tofast forward through the content, to rewind the content, and to move toa place in the content associated with a designated time; and contentviewing, and further wherein the corresponding gesture motion is adiagonal movement of the RC, and further wherein the correspondinggesture commands includes instructions to display a list of availableoptions or hide a list of available options.
 17. Computer-readablememory media, including instructions for operating a remote-controlleddevice, said instructions executable to: display a command menuresponsive to gesture commands received from a remote control (RC);receive gesture command data from the RC corresponding to a gesturecommand recorded by the RC; and execute the gesture command.
 18. Thememory media of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to:receive selection command data from the RC corresponding to a selectioncommand received at the RC; and execute the selection command.
 19. Thememory media of claim 18, further comprising instructions executable to:output a multimedia signal in response to receiving selection commanddata.
 20. The memory media of claim 17, further comprising instructionsexecutable to: assert a gesture enable signal via a communicationchannel between the remote-controlled device and the RC, the assertedgesture enable signal indicating when gesture commands are allowed.